{"id":7869,"date":"2021-03-15T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/?p=7869"},"modified":"2024-06-16T15:53:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-16T13:53:59","slug":"gandalfs-fist-the-remaster-and-the-monkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/cd-recensie\/gandalfs-fist-the-remaster-and-the-monkey\/","title":{"rendered":"Gandalf’s Fist \u2013 The (Re)Master and the Monkey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Als je deze recensie liever in het Nederlands leest, kun je hier klikken<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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English prog\/folk band Gandalf’s Fist was founded some 16 years ago by multi-instrumentalist Dean Marsh and lyricist\/singer Luke Severn. But their love for music started much earlier, through bands like Pink Floyd and King Crimson. Over the years, Gandalf’s Fist has released several albums. They have had big names as guest musicians, such as Troy Donockley (Nightwish) and Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To celebrate a decade of albums by Gandalf’s Fist, their debut demo album is being re-released. It has been largely re-recorded, which is why the title is now ‘The (Re)Master and the Monkey’. Gandalf’s Fist are known for their narrative albums, which are set in a fictional world. This was already the case with their debut album, in which a few animals ’take centre stage’. One of them is a frog without legs, so he travels on top of a monkey’s head. To support the story, a narrator, Alicia Marsh, can be heard between the vocal tracks. You hear Alicia first in ‘A Fool’s Folly’, her words form the introduction to the album. In ‘The Master and the Monkey (Part 1)’, the music really takes off. It is still quite quiet, but you can already hear their own style. The balance between rock and folk is very good. The number of layers in the music varies, and there are a number of turns in tempo and volume. Some minimalist pieces are quite short, but these also stand out. At first, it is the music that draws the attention, the lyrics come later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alicia talks clearly, but rather quickly. It is not always easy to understand everything she says. Her contribution is never too long, so it doesn’t get boring. Faliq Auri provides in ‘Stakes at Low Tide’ with his Irish bagpipes and flute playing a cheerful folk atmosphere, every song its own atmosphere. The music in ‘The Siren’s Kiss’, with its Eastern influences, is a bit mysterious now and then. There are hardly any sampled sounds that support the story. This gives a whole different way of listening than for example in ‘The Clockwork Fable’. There you listen as it were to a radio play, here to a CD with a storyline. The vocal tracks usually last about three to four minutes. There are plenty of turns and details in the music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the vocals are quite understandable, you still need the textbook to be able to follow everything. In addition, you must have some imagination to be able to imagine the story of Pierre (the frog) and Fran\u00e7ois (the monkey). That is why Alicia’s part is certainly important; you can also read her words in the booklet. She says her last sentences in ‘All that Glisters’, they fit perfectly into the story. You can consider them as a saying and get an underlying message out of them. The album ends with ‘The Master and the Monkey (Part 2)’. This wonderful song is, just like the opening track, a lot longer than the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because this album hardly contains any sampling, you are less drawn into the story. The storyline is less dominant. On the one hand, this may make listening less strenuous. On the other hand, you may be less triggered to listen intensely. The (Re)Master and the Monkey’ is perhaps less unique than their other albums with real actors. But it is more accessible and less complex. But this renewed release has given ‘The (Re)Master and the Monkey ‘ the sound quality we are used to from Gandalf’s Fist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(79\/100) (Own Management)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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